Inferno
by Robert Rahl
Summary: MY first shadowrun story is done. It's about four deckers. Please read and review.
1. Inferno ch 1

Chapter 1  
  
  
  
"Thirty seconds."  
  
"We're never gonna make it."  
  
"Yes we will now let me do my work."  
  
As the time ticks away I can't help but think about how I got into this mess.  
  
It all started two days ago. I had just finished a run for some Johnson I didn't know and probably never will. I got home to a message on my machine. "The Horsemen Ride". This was the code for a big run in which my help was needed. I went to my kitchen to make a sandwich. After eating some of it, I went over to my deck and sat down. I set up my watchers and my walls and then jacked in.  
  
Unlike most people who run in the matrix my persona is myself. I don't mean a likeness of my self; I mean an exact detailed persona of myself. Most rookies see me and don't realize I am a pro. They use these fancy personas like golems or knights and then they see me. Just me. They then think I am a rookie. Then I show them buy sending a feedback surge though their deck. Also the biggest difference is that I don't use these fancy store bought matrix settings. I use a special setting I made my self. It's a detailed scene of a desert. Made right down to the exact detail. But I digress.  
  
After entering the matrix I punched in the address code for the meeting place. When I got there I saw Will, Floyd, and Dennis waiting for me.  
  
"Ren so nice of you to come." Said Floyd  
  
"Frag off slot face."  
  
"Knock that crap off you two. I didn't call all of you just to get in a fraggin'  
  
argument. I got a big run for us." Said Will  
  
"What the frag could the run be that all four of us would be needed?" Asked Dennis  
  
"Renraku."  
  
"What are you smoking Will?" I asked  
  
"Nothing. I got a way into Renraku's accounting computer."  
  
"No fraggin' way. Are you trying to get us killed?" Asked Floyd  
  
"No I got a way in."  
  
"Yea right. There's no way in. The only way into that is though Renraku's Mainframe and the ice on that will kill us instantly. And besides, We'd have to be at the mainframe in Renraku. And that's ten floors below ground with enough security we'd be killed before we even get two floors down." Said Floyd  
  
"I got a way in." said Will  
  
"How?" I Asked  
  
"You know that new VP Warren Michen?" Asked Will  
  
"Yea." I said  
  
"I was running and I found his deck. He created a back door into the mainframe. He is using it to steal funds. And so will we."  
  
"You gotta be out of your mind. First we have to deck though a VP of RENRAKU mind you, then though RENRAKU'S MAINFRAME, then to RENRAKU'S accounting computer. That's not a big run. That's suicide." Said Dennis  
  
"Dennis, we are the horsemen. We are the four best deckers in the world. We are on the top of Fuci's most wanted list. Hell we are Fuci's most wanted list. We can do this. Look we hit Renraku in two days. That's when Michen will be away on business. That way we can use his deck, get the nuyen, and then put the blame on Michen. It can't fail." Said Will  
  
Horsemen, I hate that name. You all know the four horsemen. War, Death, Pestilence, and Famine. The four of us never knew each other until Ares wanted a BIG run done for them. They got eight deckers to hit Fuci. We were the only ones to live though it. We crashed Fuci for about a day. Made headlines all over. After that we were called the four horsemen and have been together since. We only do big runs. You know Ares, Fuci, Hollywood, and even the U.C.A.S. Mainframe. Renraku has been off-limits because of there amazing ice. There have been rumors of a new ice called a black wall. It's supposed to stop a decker cold. We haven't risked the chance yet. But I digress again.  
  
"What about the black wall?" I said  
  
"I got a new program to crash any ice." Said Will  
  
"Yea right. Nothing can do that." Said Floyd  
  
"I made a new attack program that mixes attacks and deceptions. It overloads the ice with attacks and passwords."  
  
"One problem. Black ice are immune to deception so it won't work." Said Dennis  
  
"Just trust me."  
  
"Well I'm in. After all if we fail all that happens is we die. But if we make it, we'll be rich and famous." Said Floyd  
  
"I don't want to be famous" Said Dennis  
  
"Tough." Said Floyd  
  
"All right I'll do it." I said  
  
"Good. Dennis you are the only one holding this up. We need you. Please." Begged Will  
  
"Fine."  
  
"Good we'll meet here in two days. Oh and boys, be ready to die." Said Will  
  
And on those words we all jacked out. I sat there for a good half- hour just pondering what I just did. Then I finished my sandwich. 


	2. Inferno ch 2

Chapter 2  
  
The next day was slow. I woke up, did some quick personal update run, and then I prepared for the next day.  
  
I got to the meeting place right on time (as usual Floyd made one of his smart ass comments).  
  
"Ok are you all ready?" asked Will  
  
"If we weren't ready we wouldn't be here." Said Dennis  
  
"True" said Will  
  
"Well let's get this over with and get home." I said  
  
"Ok, but first slot this scenery into your deck." Said Will  
  
"Hey I got my desert and I like my desert." I said  
  
"Yea but this will allow us all to see the same things instead of our own things." Said Will  
  
"Fine" I said  
  
As I slotted the program my view changed from a desert to a 16th century atmosphere.  
  
"What's this drek?" Asked Floyd  
  
"Hey I like it so shut up." Said Will  
  
"Look let's just get this over with." Said Dennis  
  
"Fine let's go" said Will  
  
Will then took out a sword and ripped a hole in the air. In the deck this was Will punching in the address of the deck we were going to, but will has this thing for dramatics so he had to do something flashy.  
  
"Well here we go" I said as I jumped into the hole  
  
After entering the hole I was standing in front of a very large castle. The front gate was a large iron door. This signified a very strong ice on the deck's modem.  
  
"So how we gonna get in?" Floyd asked  
  
"Simple, I am about to break the door." Said Will  
  
Will then pulled out a sword that was engulfed in a black flame. He then proceeded to slash at the door. As he slashed away the door began to change into a large face. Will destroyed the door before it could finish.  
  
"That was a black ice my friends and this is blackbane. The best attack program for black ice or any other ice for that matter." Said Will  
  
At that time I wished I had a holocam to take our picture because Floyd, Dennis, and me were standing there with our jars wide open just staring at what happened.  
  
"Don't look so shocked. I said I had a program to destroy any ice." Said Will  
  
"How did you just do that?" Dennis asked  
  
"Simple, when you use a deception program the ice begins to process it. If it is a black ice, it starts then stops. Blackbane uses a deception then an attack in one split-second. This makes the ice begin to process and not defend. This allows a clean attack and gives you a split-second of grace afterwards. Brilliant isn't it?" Said Will  
  
So after another few minuets of talking about Blackbane we entered the castle.  
  
"OK now here is the plan. We will work our way to the back of the castle were Michen hid his back door to Renraku's mainframe. We will have to battle a few ice along the way most likely but I can take care of them." Said Will  
  
"If you can take care of any ice then why did you call us to help you?" Floyd asked  
  
"While Blackbane can take care of any ice I still need people to watch my back. Also I have to be right next to the ice to use Blackbane. So a trace&burn program will be able to get away from me and fry my brain. Also I need the help to find my way though the mainframe because as you know while I am the best at disposal of ice's I suck at navigating a deck." said Will  
  
"True I remember you getting lost in Fuci's mainframe." I said  
  
"Yea well I also figured I would include my friends and fellow horsemen in on this VERY big run. Cuz' if we pull this off, we will be very fraggin' rich. Well any way shall we continue?" Said Will  
  
We then worked our way though Michen's deck. A few ice mostly barriers, a couple of trace&burn ice that I took care of, and one nasty black ice blocking the way to the back door.  
  
"Well this is the back door should be but were is it?" Asked Will  
  
"I don't think the guy would leave it out in the open so look around very carefully until you find it." Said Dennis  
  
After a few moments of searching, Floyd found a false stone that opened the door. In the deck this was Floyd accessing a well-hidden link.  
  
"Well let's go" said Floyd  
  
And so we went into Renraku's mainframe. Little did we know what would come next. 


	3. Inferno ch 3

Chapter 3  
  
  
  
When we entered Renraku's mainframe we saw a VERY large castle. Behind us was a concrete wall about 5 meters thick and at least 20 meters high with over 20 guards around it. This is why we never tried Renraku.  
  
"Well here we are kiddos." Said Will  
  
"I assume you know were to go to get to the accounting computer." I asked  
  
"Of course."  
  
"Then lead on master." Dennis said  
  
Once inside the castle (Renraku's computer) we began to travel to the CPU or in the case of Will's scenery, the throne room. From there we would be able to gain access to the accounting computer. Will began to lead us around the castle avoiding the guards when we could or destroying them when they came by.  
  
"Ok Will, we've been here for an hour. I don't think you know were you are going." I said  
  
"Well guys I hate to break this to you but,"  
  
"WE'RE LOST!" Dennis screamed  
  
"Well to put it one way, yes" Will said  
  
"I can't fraggin' believe this drek. First you drag us into Renraku's mainframe though some back door you found. Then you get us LOST in Renraku's FRAGGIN' MAINFRAME! I should kill you were you stand."  
  
Dennis kept ranting like that for about 2 mins. After Floyd slapped Dennis upside the head and said "Shut the frag up or I'll knock your persona right out of the fraggin' matrix" he shut up. I do like that quote. I'll have to use it at a later time.  
  
"Look guy's I'm really sorry but you know how I suck at navigating a computer." Will said  
  
"Fine I'll take lead and lead us to the CPU." I said  
  
"Maybe we should jack out and frag the run." Dennis said  
  
"Look we maid it this far. This is a lot farther then most other deckers could even dream of. We make it to the CPU and then to the accounting computer and we will be fraggin' RICH. So shut your fraggin' mouth and get moving." Dennis screamed  
  
"Look Dennis, we need you. You're the only one of us who can protect us in the very unlikely chance that an ice isn't killed by blackbane. You've got the best defensive and cloaking programs of us all. Look I won't force you to come with us. If you choice you can jack out and we'll finish the run with out you." Will said  
  
"OK OK I'll do the damn run."  
  
"Good now I think I know how to get to the CPU from here" I said  
  
"How" Floyd asked  
  
"Well most big companies put their CPU behind many ices and in the middle of the computer. We haven't been seeing many ice have we. No we haven't. When we first came in we went north. There were a few ice in that direction. When we went west we didn't hit any ice correct?"  
  
"Yeah so?" Floyd said  
  
"That means that the CPU is Northeast of here. Now if we go up this corridor and head right we should be on the right track. Then all we have to do is follow the ice to the CPU." I explained  
  
"Ok we got a battle plan. So let's go." Said Will  
  
We began to travel towards the CPU. After a little while we started seeing guards (barrier ice). Those were dispatched easily with BlackBane. After a while three hunters (trace&burn ice) caught us off guard. It was a good thing that Dennis decided t stay with us or we would have been in some serious drek. The three hunters went off in three different directions. They were too far for Will to use BlackBane. Floyd and I were able to take out two of the three. The third was to far away for us to get it. Dennis used a program he called Snowstorm. It created dozens of copies of the trace&burn program and us. This caused the trace&burn program to overload and shut it self-down.  
  
When we reached the hallway leading to the throne room is when the drek hit the fan. First was a REAL nasty black ice on the floor of the hallway. It was put there so anyone passing over it would activate it. It hit Floyd hard before Will destroyed it. After it was destroyed a tar pit program activated and held us all in place while a trace&burn program was sent. Dennis took care of the tar pit program and then Floyd destroyed the trace&burn program.  
  
After all of that we reached the throne room. In the throne room was two thrones, a king, a jester, and a door, (which lead to the accounting computer). The jester turned and looked at us. It then started scanning us.  
  
"You are good to make it this far. Now I'll be nice and give you the option of jacking out now before I am forced to kill you." The Jester said  
  
"Slot off frag-face. We came here for a reason and no stupid clown is going to stop us." Dennis said  
  
"Pity. You could have left here with your lives. Well since you are stupid enough to stay, you can be the test subjects for our new black ice. I've analyzed all of your personas and programs. That attack program you have is intreging. Maybe we'll copy it after you are dead. Well I must leave. But before I do let me introduce you to Black Wall."  
  
After the Jester finished talking the king stood up. The jester then vanished and the throne room turned in to a big black box. The king looked at us as a loud voice came out of thin air.  
  
"Now I am a nice guy so I'll explain Black Wall and give you a small chance of survival. The black box you are in will prevent you from jacking out. If you do, your brain will be fried. The box will begin to close in on it's self as soon as I am done talking. You'll have 1 minute before it crushes you thus killing you. The king in front of you is a black ice. It will begin to attack you. If you are smart you will let the king kill you painlessly. Or you can kill the king and try to get out of the box. Which you can't do. Well I have said enough. Have fun kiddies."  
  
As the voice silenced a large clock appeared on the wall and began to count down from a minute. The king started to move towards us.  
  
At this point I realized we were seriously fraged. 


	4. Inferno ch 4

Chapter 4  
  
The king began to pick up speed as he came towards us. Will then say "The frag with this drek" and proceeded to slice at the king with blackbane. The king then disappeared but the clock kept counting down.  
  
"Well Will, this is a fine mess you dragged me into" I said  
  
"Shut the frag up and help me." Will said  
  
"WITH WHAT. WE ARE FRAGED. YOU HEARD THE JESTER WE CAN'T GET OUT OF HERE YOU DREKHEAD." Dennis screamed  
  
"Look black wall still works like a normal ice. If all four of us attack the same spot at the same time we might break a hole in the wall. Now we don't have a lot of time so hurry." Will said  
  
We then proceeded to attack the wall. After a few seconds a small crack appeared.  
  
"We're doing it. Keep at it boys." Will told us  
  
"OH DREK" Dennis screamed  
  
Evidently a small detail the jester overlooked is the fact that the king could come back. He also looked over the fact that he could bring friends with him.  
  
"Look you guys take care of the King and his goons. I'll take care of the wall." Will said  
  
"You sure man." Floyd said  
  
"JUST KILL THEM" Will screamed  
  
Time ticked away as we battled our foes.  
  
"Thirty seconds."  
  
"We're never gonna make it."  
  
"Yes we will now let me do my work."  
  
Well that's my story. Stick around if you want to see how it ends. 


	5. Inferno ch 5

Chapter 5  
  
The last 28 seconds of our battle is a blur of kings, swords, and fighting.  
  
"I GOT A HOLE OPENED" Will screamed as he jumped though the hole  
  
We all fallowed him as he jumped though the hole. We all landed back in the throne room. The jester was standing there as if he was waiting for us.  
  
"Well Well Well. I can't believe you bested the black wall. congratulations."  
  
Dennis then proceeded to run and attack the jester. The jester simply pushed Dennis away.  
  
"Don't bother. Look, I owe you four guys. The black wall was still an experimental program. We didn't know how well it would stand up to an attack by professional deckers. So we "pushed" you into Michen's computer. We left a back door to the mainframe in his computer. We knew you wouldn't be able to pass up the chance to steal our money. So all we had to do was wait for you to attack to test black wall."  
  
"Wait a sec. So you are telling us all we were "  
  
"Were test subjects? Yes. Do not worry though. You will be well compensated for this."  
  
A large stack of gold coins appeared before us. This was Renraku transmitting funds to our programs.  
  
"There's 4 million nuyen there. Take it don't worry. Like I said, I owe you. Because of you four guys, we know what is wrong with black wall and an added bonus. We know how to use your blackbane program. So take your money and leave." With those final words the jester disappeared again.  
  
We took the money and left. We met up at some library computer to talk.  
  
"I think that went well." I said  
  
"ARE YOU KIDDING? Renraku now knows how to make their black wall stronger and they have a copy of MY BLACKBANE PROGRAM. This was a terrible run." Will said  
  
"So what if they got a stronger black wall and your blackbane program. We made out with a million nuyen each and we are all alive. I think we did real well." Dennis said  
  
"Well with all that said. I'm outta here. See you later chummers." Floyd said just before he disappeared.  
  
The rest of us said our goodbyes and jacked out. I transferred my money to my bank account and went and got some food. A few weeks later, Renraku began to sell very week versions of black wall and blackbane. They made a killing. Two weeks after that I got a message  
  
"The Horse Men Ride"  
  
Guess I get to have some more fun soon. 


End file.
